Identifying Trees by Their Triangular Seed Pods

When taking a walk through the woods or strolling in a park, you may come across curious woody pods lying on the ground under certain trees. While most people pay little attention to these discarded seed vessels, they can actually provide helpful clues for identifying different tree species

One distinctive type of tree seed pod has a flattened papery winged shape that resembles a small paper airplane. These triangular samaras or keys result from maple, ash, elm and some other trees.

This article provides tips on recognizing common trees with triangular seed pods. Pictures and descriptions of identifying features will help you distinguish maple seeds from ash, elm and other tree samaras.

What are Samaras?

The botanical name for a winged seed pod is a samara. Samaras are dry lightweight fruits that contain one or two seeds and use wind dispersal.

As the papery seed pods fall from the tree, the wing structure causes them to spin helicopter-style to the ground. This slow airborne descent allows wind currents to carry the seeds far from the parent tree, giving seedlings the best chance to flourish.

Trees that produce samaras or other winged pods are known as samaras trees. Let’s look at how to identify some common samaras-producing trees.

Identifying Maple Trees by Their Seed Pods

Maple trees (Acer spp.) are the most recognizable samaras tree. Their distinctive paired seed pods spin like dual propellers as they fall. They look like little maple leaf seeds.

• Shape Maples have V-shaped samaras joined in the center containing one seed in each pod

• Size: 1 to 2 inches long with wings 2 cm wide.

• Color: Reddish brown.

• Other features: Lobed leaves, grayish bark, height up to 100 ft.

With their helicopter motion, maple samaras are sometimes called whirlybirds or polynoses. Red maple and sugar maple seeds are common types found under maple trees in yards and parks.

Identifying Ash Trees by Seed Pods

Ash trees produce similar papery, single-winged samaras. But ash keys grow in bunches while maple seeds dangle singly.

• Shape: Oar or paddle-shaped pods in clusters emerging from a central stalk.

• Size: 1-3 inches long.

• Color: Green turning brown when ripe.

• Other features: Opposite pinnate leaves, diamond-patterned gray bark.

Ash samaras hang in drooping clusters on the trees through fall and winter before dropping. Green ash, white ash, and blue ash seeds can be identified this way.

Identifying Elm Trees by Their Seed Pods

Elm trees have small, orb-shaped seed pods usually containing just one seed.

• Shape: Circular, coin-like pods with papery casing.

• Size: 1/2 inch diameter.

• Color: Pale green turning tan.

• Other features: Oval serrated leaves, gray fissured bark.

The disc-shaped elm seeds grow in clusters, eventually breaking apart and fluttering to the ground in spring. American elm and other elm species can be recognized by their thousands of tiny round samaras.

How to Identify Other Samaras Trees

Some other trees and large shrubs also produce winged samaras fruit, such as:

• Alder: Small cone-like clusters of winged seeds.
• Birch: Catkin pods release tiny winged seeds.
• Hornbeam: Bunch of three-winged pods like maple.
• Hop hornbeam: Papery bladders with winged nutlets.
• Linden: Clusters of winged pods like maple seeds.
• Witch hazel: Two-parted pods with hairy curved seeds.

Observing the seed pods under trees and shrubs provides helpful clues to identify the species. Understanding the variations helps distinguish maple from ash from elm seeds.

When Do Triangular Tree Seeds Fall?

Timing of seed dispersal aids tree identification.

• Spring: Elm, alder, birch and hop hornbeam seeds drop in spring after flowering.

• Late summer: Maple, ash and linden seeds mature and fall in late summer into autumn.

• Fall/winter: Some ash, maple and witch hazel seeds may persist on the tree into late fall and winter.

Peak seed drop occurs in spring and fall. But look for discarded samaras under trees year-round to help identify the species.

Why Do Trees Produce Winged Seeds?

Winged seeds serve an important ecological purpose. As an evolutionary adaptation, samaras provide excellent wind dispersal of seeds away from the parent tree.

Benefits of wind dispersal by samaras or keys include:

• Wings allow seeds to drift farther from the tree.

• Spinning descent slows falling speed, increasing travel distance.

• Airborne movement helps seeds avoid dense vegetation near the tree.

• Wider dispersal reduces competition and improves seedling survival.

The papery wing structure and spinning are adaptations allowing trees to efficiently spread seeds over a larger area.

Fun Facts About Maple Seeds

As the most familiar and abundant samaras, maple seeds offer some fascinating features.

• The two wings on maple seeds rotate like helicopter blades when falling.

• Red maple seeds are the only true samaras with a flying whirlybird spin.

• Maple seeds contain antioxidants and can be eaten or made into tea.

• Most maple seeds fall within 60-100 feet of the tree. But wind gusts can carry them several hundred feet.

• Each mature maple tree can release thousands of whirlybird seeds each season.

Watching maple seeds whirling to the ground is a sign of summer’s end and autumn’s approach. Notice these amazing little helicopters when they fly!

Benefits of Identifying Trees by Their Seed Pods

Paying attention to fallen seed pods provides some useful advantages:

• Helps identify tree species non-invasively without leaves or flowers.

• Aids with tree identification year-round since many seeds persist through winter.

• Interesting nature study activity for kids and adults.

• Provides clues to predict seedlings that may sprout in an area.

• Allows you to collect seeds for propagating more trees.

Make a game of spotting and identifying the different triangular seeds as you walk in the woods or backyard. It’s a fun way to learn more about trees!

Many common trees produce flattened, winged seed pods called samaras. Noticing these papery seeds on the ground provides helpful clues for identifying maple, ash, elm and other wind-dispersed trees.

Distinguishing features include the size, shape and growth habit of the winged pods. Discover the wonderful diversity of triangular seeds as you explore parks and woodlands!